Have you ever felt tongue-tied when asked to introduce yourself and describe your work? Or maybe you ramble on in a way that doesn’t accurately describe what you do?

As a creative who does so many amazing things, it might be incredibly difficult to put your work into words in order to give your audience that “aha” moment and make them want to learn more.

There are many occasions where you’ll be asked to describe your work – or answer that dreaded question: what do you do? These include interviews, parties, networking get-togethers, conferences, or even meeting a friend of a friend for the first time.

The goal? You want the right people to remember you.

There are ways to practice talking about your services and talents that will open doors and engage the people you are talking with in an exciting way.

First, you need to remember: You are the only person in the world who does exactly what you do in your unique way. We want to help you make sure you tell the right story when people ask, in a clear, succinct, and compelling way.

First, let’s explore an example:

We met an artist at an opening. She had recently moved to New York from Florida, so we were discussing that, since it's a big life move. Sarah, our new acquaintance, impressed us when we asked her, "What kind of work do you make?" And she answered, "I am a sculptor who makes works from recycled materials, especially those small plastic bags that newspapers are delivered in."

Immediately, we were intrigued, asked her more questions about her work, and made it a point to look at her website the next day. Had she just said, "I am a sculptor" the conversation might have drifted off to more social things, or perhaps ended. So, the point here is to be very specific because each and every one of us is incredibly unique.

Make someone remember you. How do you do that? Create your perfect elevator pitch in five easy steps:

2. Now write down the three most important things that you do as a (designer, writer, illustrator, programmer, etc) and cite proof points why your work is important or unique.

3. Now figure out: What do you want your work to accomplish/What is your goal?

4. Distill the above three points into a short sentence or two: this will become your introduction, or pitch. You’ll want to end up with a simple statement like: I am a _____________ who (does this unique thing.)

5. Remember, you are talking with someone else, so engage them. Hopefully your pitch is so compelling that they ask you follow-up questions! Make sure you have a business card on hand to give them in case they want to learn more.

Here are some tips to consider as you practice your pitch in the mirror and to your dog, cat and best friend before you take it out into the real world:

It should explain what you do, clearly and succinctly: Who are you? What do you do?

It should be no longer than 20-30 seconds, which is about the time it takes to ride an elevator.

The pitch should be addressed to THEM not to YOU. To successfully engage in conversation, remember it’s about storytelling, not fact-reciting.

It should be comprehensible to even a kid.

Say it with confidence.

Be memorable.

It needs to be compelling and sound natural in person. (It’s beneficial to write it out and memorize it, but you don’t want to end up sounding like a robot.)

Why is your elevator pitch important?

You want people to understand what you do and remember you. It’s an opportunity to create a mental picture for your audience when your work is not in front of them to experience first hand.

You are creating an opportunity for an opportunity, which getting tongue tied will not provide you.

In a social setting, you would like to be able to engage in meaningful dialog with someone without rambling.

You want to add value to your community.

Because it’s an opportunity to represent your character as well as what kind of work you do.

Good luck! Let us know what your success stories are after you’ve written out and practiced your pitch!

January 31st is the last day to get The Ultimate, Honest Guide to Understanding Artist Taxes on sale for 20% off! Use the link in profile to get the discount! The Ultimate, Honest Guide to Understanding Artist Taxes will teach you: How to overcome the fear that prevents many artists from getting all of the tax benefits they could be entitled to; What your tax responsibilities are as an artist; The concept of the Schedule C: what it’s for and why you should use it; Whether filing your taxes as a business is appropriate for your arts practice; The difference between hobby vs. business rules and why they are a pitfall for artists plus much more! #artisttaxes #taxesforartists #sulighttax #hannahcole #delveart #artistempowerment #creativebusiness #creativeentrepreneur

This Friday in Brooklyn! Back by popular demand! Hannah will be back in town to give her super-informative tax workshop. Come learn: What can I deduct? Do I bring receipts to my accountant? Is my art a business or a hobby? What is a Schedule C? How do I deduct my home studio? Hannah Cole is a tax expert who specializes in working with creative businesses and artists. A long-time working artist, the financial challenges of freelancers and small creative businesses are both relevant and personal to Hannah. She will discuss the basic tax equation, self employment tax and the estimated quarterly tax system, audit concerns for the working artist, and other tax issues specifically relevant to artists, followed by a question and answer period. Hannah Cole is the founder of Sunlight Tax, which specializes in friendly, informative tax preparation for artists, and engaging, art-world savvy tax education workshops for artist groups. Link in profile to sign up! #taxesforartists #taxworkshop #sunlighttax #creativeentrepreneurs #creativebusiness #artsgowanus #hannahcole

Just because it's good to re-read this letter every once in a while...
Sol LeWitt writing to Eva Hesse in 1965:
"Dear Eva,
It will be almost a month since you wrote to me and you have possibly forgotten your state of mind (I doubt it though). You seem the same as always, and being you, hate every minute of it. Don’t! Learn to say “Fuck You” to the world once in a while. You have every right to. Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder, wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, numbling, rambling, gambling, tumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning, groaning, honing, boning, horse-shitting, hair-splitting, nit-picking, piss-trickling, nose sticking, ass-gouging, eyeball-poking, finger-pointing, alleyway-sneaking, long waiting, small stepping, evil-eyeing, back-scratching, searching, perching, besmirching, grinding, grinding, grinding away at yourself. Stop it and just
DO"
#justdo #lettertoevahesse #sollewitt #evahesse #inspirationforartists

You might be wondering how the new tax legislation affects you as an artist/freelancer. @hannah.cole.painter of Sunlight Tax breaks it down for you in a FREE 15 minute video. Empower, educate and protect yourself! Link in profile to full video. #artistshelpingartists

If you have asked yourself any of these questions, you should join us in Brooklyn next Friday to get the answers! Hannah Cole is a tax expert who specializes in working with creative businesses and artists. A long-time working artist, the financial challenges of freelancers and small creative businesses are both relevant and personal to Hannah. She will discuss the basic tax equation, self employment tax and the estimated quarterly tax system, audit concerns for the working artist, and other tax issues specifically relevant to artists, followed by a question and answer period. Hannah Cole is the founder of Sunlight Tax, which specializes in friendly, informative tax preparation for artists, and engaging, art-world savvy tax education workshops for artist groups. Link in profile for more info and to sign up! #taxesforartists #taxworkshop #creativeentrepreneur #creativebusiness #artbusiness #professionalpractice #sunlighttax #hannahcole @hannah.cole.painter

Beautiful show at Morgan Lehman’s new 2nd Gallery. #ericaprince and #osamukobayashi Also, don’t forget to sign up for the Taxes for Artists workshop with Hannah Cole happening in Brooklyn on January 26th! Link in profile. #artisttaxes #artistempowerment #creativeentrpreneur #creativebusiness #taxworkshop #taxseason #sunlighttax

Back by popular demand! Hannah will be back in town to give her super-informative tax workshop. Come learn! What can I deduct? Do I bring receipts to my accountant? Is my art a business or a hobby? What is a Schedule C? How do I deduct my home studio? Hannah Cole is a tax expert who specializes in working with creative businesses and artists. A long-time working artist, the financial challenges of freelancers and small creative businesses are both relevant and personal to Hannah. She will discuss the basic tax equation, self employment tax and the estimated quarterly tax system, audit concerns for the working artist, and other tax issues specifically relevant to artists, followed by a question and answer period. Hannah Cole is the founder of Sunlight Tax, which specializes in friendly, informative tax preparation for artists, and engaging, art-world savvy tax education workshops for artist groups. To register, click link in profile. #taxesforartists #sunlighttax #taxseason #taxworkshop #creativebusiness #creativeentrpreneur #artistempowerment

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